Gum massager



Oct. 17, 1939. E 0, LOVE Er'AL 2,176,309

GUM MASSAGER Filed June 9, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Edna Oped Love,

, Y Emmett Molitor 0a. 17, 1939. 0, OVE M 2,176,309

GUM MASSAGER Filed June 9, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Edna Opal Love BY Emmett J. liter ATTORNE Patented Oct. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUM MASSAGER Application June 9, 1937, Serial No. 147,264

2 Claims.

Our invention relates to our copending United States patent application filed in the United States Patent Office on May 20, 1936, upon Tooth, gum massager and exerciser, Serial Number 8 80,754 and upon a design for a Tooth, gum massager and exerciser, also filed in the United States Patent Office May 20, 1936, Serial Number D-62,746. The former has matured into Patent No. 2,148,483 and the latter has matured into 10- Design Patent No. 105,116.

Our invention relates to gum massagers. This invention is comprised primarily of a handle member shaped to be held in the hand of the user and having a ledge disposed upon the face side of one end of the handle. The purpose of the edge is to facilitate the attachment and the sealing of the massaging member thereto. A massaging head is provided that is made of live rub-- her, or other highly resilient, flexible, compressible matter, all made of live rubber or other suitable material. The massaging head has an air pocket disposed within or at the back face of the head and the massaging head has a massaging nodule or knob disposed at its opposite end or face side of the head and a plurality of smaller nodules are disposed between the end nodules and upon the same side of the massaging head and outwardly extending the same direction as larger nodules. When the massaging head is hermetically sealed to the handle member the air trapped within the massaging head further cushions the massaging head. It also provides controllable means for predetermining the solidity of the massaging head to meet the desire of the user of the same.

The primary purpose and object of our invention is to provide in a single massaging instrument, facilities permitting the user of the instrument to create the desired cushioning effect of the massager head by controlling the air pressure developed within the massager head to thereby create the desired compressibility of the massaging head.

A still further object of our invention is to so construct the device that it maybe used for the massaging of the gums both on the outside and on the inside of the mouth.

'With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essentialeiements of which are set forth in the appended claims, and a preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. I is a fragmentary perspective view of one of our new and improved massaging devices shown in position for massaging the gums disposed on the inside of the teeth.

Fig. II is a perspective side view of one of our new and improved devices shown in use in massaging the gums disposed on the outside of the teeth.

Fig. III is a perspective inverted plan view of one or our new and improved devices illustrated in massaging the gums upon the posterior side of the gums.

Fig. IV is a side view of one of our new and improved assembled devices.

Fig. V is a sectional side View of one of our new and improved devices.

Fig. V1 is a sectional side view of one of our new and improved devices made in slightly modifled form. In views illustrated in V and VI an air pocket is trapped Within the body of the massaging head.

Fig. VII is a sectional side View of a still further modified form in which the head is made of solid resilient material.

Fig. VIII is a sectional end view of the head. This view was taken on line 8-8 of Fig, V looking in the direction indicated.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

We form our device of a handle I. The handle I is made of any suitable material. The body portion of the handle is made relatively straight and the head portion is curved as illustrated at 2 and 3 with the opposite faces 2 and 3 being substantially parallel. We secure a massaging head to the handle portion. The massaging head is made of live rubber or of any other highly resilient compressible material. The compressibility of the head may be determined by the desire or need of the purchaser of the same. The head may be more compressible for those having sensitive gums than those having healthy gums. It may be harder for an adult than it is for a child, and the shape or size is somewhat determined upon the size of the gum structure to be massaged therewith.

We preferably form our massaging head of a single piece and form nodules 4 and 5 at the opposite ends of the massaging head. The exterior surface of the nodules 4 and 5 may be made substantially smooth or it may be made of a plurality of grooves and ribs to thereby aid in the roughening of the outer surface of the nodules 4 and 5.

Teats 6 outwardly extend from the intermediate portion of the massaging head and the same are disposed between the nodules 4 and 5 and the same extend a lesser length outward than that of the nodules to thereby increase the curvature of the massaging face of the massaging head,

The body portion may be made as illustrated in Fig. VI. When so made the back 1 is formed integral with thatof the face tothereby leave an air pocket 8 within the massaging'head. The

thickness of the wall of the massaging headis substantially uniform upon the face side excepting at the location of the teats and of the nodulesand a restricted passageway l0 communicates the pockets 8 and I that are disposed within and behind the nodules 4 and 5.

When the massaging head is made as illustrated in Fig. V and in Fig. -VI thatxportion of the handle against which the back face of the the head and the handle to thereby facilitate the.

attachment of one to the other by-a cementitious fastening or by other fastening means. When so made, relati vely large air pockets [6 and I! are disposed behind the respective nodules I3 and I9. These nodules communicate one with the other by the connecting passageway 20.

In either of the constructions thus far shown and described, the pressure within either of the pockets l6 and i1 may be increased by the depressing of one of the nodules with the finger or thumb of the operator to thereby predetermine the solidity of the'massaging nodule thenin use.

A further modified form of massaging head is made as is illustrated in Fig. VII wherein the massaging head is made of compressible resilient material, and having nodules 22 and 23 disposed at the opposite ends of the massaging head, and having teats 251 disposed therebetween. This massaging head is made without using air cushioning nodules; I

4 A plurality of dovetailed slots 25 are disposed within the face of the handle and a like number of projecting dovetailed locking lugs are disposed upon the back of the massaging head. When the dovetailed lugs are admitted into the dovetailed cross slots, the head and the handle are secured together .by cementitious material being applied to the respective meeting faces thus sealing them together in locked relationship.

In Figs. I to I11 inclusive, the massaging head is shown asbeing applied in actual use. In Fig. I the nodule 26 is shown asloeingused for the massaging of the'gums disposed'upon the inside of the mouth. In this View one of the digits of the. user of the brush is shown as being applied to the nodule 28, thereby developing additional pressure within the nodule 26 and increasing the compressibility of the same.

In Fig. II the outer face of the massaging head 29' is shown in massaging position for massaging the gums, and the teats 30 are shown performing their normal function of massaging the gums and to thereby aid in the cleansing and massaging operation.

In Fig. III the massaging head 3| is engaging the gum structure above the juncture of the gums with the teeth line tothereby massage the gums completely without unduly engaging the teeth to be massaged. It may be found desirable to way 35 that communicates the interior of the massaging head with a pressure applicator bulb 3! through a port 38 passing through the wall of the head of the applicator. It will be noted that; the massaging head 2, thetube 34 and the bulb 37 are made of a single piece of rubber or other compressible, flexible, highly resilient material. This produces a device that may be used and in which a pressure may be built up within the massaging head to best supply the needs of the user as to hardness and resiliency. The greater the air pressure within the head the less compressible. is the massaging head.

A massaging head as described, gently exercises and hardens sensitive or bleeding gums, stimulates circulation of the vascular tissues, and provides a gum prophylaxis for professional and layman use.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the embodiment herein shown and described, as it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms (and in various methods), all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What we claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a mas-saging handle, a locking ledge A disposed about the face side of the massaging end of the handle, a live rubber massaging head securable to the handle and lockable to the ledge of the handle and to the ledge and said live rubber massaging head having a massaging projection disposed adjacent the opposite ends of the head, a plurality of smaller projections disposed between the end projections outwardly extending in .the same direction as the end projections and an air pocket disposed in the back side of the head and said air pocket having larger area behind the end projections than it is behind the intermediate projections.

2. Ina device of the class described, the combination of a handle, a ledge disposed adjacent one end of the handle and upon one side of the handle,. a resilientmassaging head securable to the handle and about the ledge, massaging projections outwardly extending from the head, said projections being larger at the ends of the head than therebetween and. an air pocket disposed within the back face of the head and said pocket being larger in area at its ends than at any intermediate point.

EDNA OPAL EMlVEE-TT J. MOLITOR. 

